"Salzburg Old Town Centre"

(lifePR) (Wien, 10.12.2009)
There can be no doubt that Salzburg's historic old town centre is one of the most beautiful places in Europe - as was confirmed by its being made part of the World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 1997.

In terms of its layout, the old town centre is bisected by the Salzach river, the source of the town's lifeblood for many years, descending from its origins in the Alpine foothills to the south and dividing the town into a left and a right bank. The left bank is the "even older part" of the city, where the earliest traces of settlements from the Roman period have been found. The two sides are linked by a number of bridges, the Nonntaler Bridge, the Mozartsteg, the Staatsbrücke, the Makartsteg and the Müllner Steg.

The town centre is framed by the Mönchsberg hill with its famous Hohensalzburg fortress, a landmark visible for miles around, and, on the left bank, the mighty Kapuzinerberg hill. The genuine denizen of Salzburg would be reluctant to call them mountains, but they are ideal for long walks to escape the hectic hustle and bustle of the many alleys and squares in the town for a few hours. They are definitely worth the effort, providing the best panoramas and picture postcard views over Salzburg.

The old town centre itself with its many works of architecture is a true jewel, crammed with buildings dating from the middle ages and the romanesque, as well as from the renaissance, the baroque and the classical period of the Monarchy, with hardly any era having failed to leave its architectural mark on the city. Since the town centre is both a pedestrian zone and relatively small, it is an ideal place for a stroll, the walk from the Nonntal in the south to the Müllnerhügel in the north taking little more than twenty minutes.

The most impressive buildings include without doubt the famous cathedral, Hohensalzburg fortress, the Residence, St Peter's Monastery, the Franciscan and University churches, the buildings in the Festival District and of course the Felsenreitschule. The visitor to Salzburg is well advised to leave himself enough time to capture and be charmed by the unique atmosphere and busy city life. Whether art, shopping, a stroll or a visit to one of the many bars and restaurants, Salzburg's old town centre has many attractive sides to show.